


Ohana

by SometimeLonely



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-10-13 19:51:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17494223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SometimeLonely/pseuds/SometimeLonely
Summary: When Tony's son, Peter, comes home upset and concerned about the safety of a young man, Bucky Barnes, that he has been helping with a science project, Tony and Pepper can't help but interfere and, in doing so, gaining three sons.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or trademarks mentioned in this work of fiction. No profit is made from it.
> 
> This is not beta read. I actually do not have a beta reader at all. If anyone is interested I certainly would be! And I'd be happy to beta read in return!
> 
> I have a couple of other works I could be working on right now, but this idea got a hold of me and wouldn't let me go. It could potentially be continued if there is any interest. I may continue it anyway, because I'm probably not done with this universe. ;)
> 
> Trigger Warning: Child abuse is a heavy theme and is mentioned though out this work, both physical and psychological. Please do not read this if it is going to be triggering for you.

"Dad…"

"Peter," Tony responded absentmindedly, fairly certain that his son's voice was in his head from lack of proper nutrition and sleep combined with entirely too much caffeine, but just in case it wasn't, he wanted to make sure that he responded. Howard had often gotten so lost in his own thoughts, in or out of the lab, that Tony could be standing beside him for hours before he was acknowledged. Of course, if Howard did come out of the spell and Tony wasn't there, and he always remembered when he had summoned his son, then Tony was in for much worse than standing at attention, sometimes until he was swaying back and forth, weak with hunger. Tony never wanted Peter to feel that way. From the moment May Parker, tired and radiant, had laid the baby she'd carried for him and Pepper in his arms he had sworn that Peter would know that there was nothing more important in his life than his son. Yeah, sometimes he got distracted, but even if he was distracted, Peter had always known that he would come up out of his work fog as soon as he could to talk to him.

And even if it wasn't that important and Peter left before he finally got out of his own head, Tony would always seek him out and they would sit down and talk about whatever it was that Peter had wanted to talk about, usually over whatever meal if was closest to. The times he wasn't there when Howard called were some of the only times that Howard actually laid a hand on him. He never left the marks where anyone could see them, of course. It wouldn't do to have Tony looking battered in front of the press. Whether they reacted sympathetically to a child they believed was being abused or they speculated that something was wrong in his child's brain that made him clumsy and prone to accidents it would be unacceptable. Tony was pretty sure that he made sure he was in as many papers and gossip rags as possible for so long because Howard had hated anyone other than himself being reported on at any time. Tony, and to a lesser extent, Maria, were just there to make Howard look more human. And if he put out cigarettes on his son's skin when he was particularly angry with him and if he sometimes left Tony bloody on the floor, it was no one's business but his how he was raising his offspring.

"Dad!"

The unpleasant memories and the phantom pain of the belt on his back from so many years before brought him out of his work haze almost immediately, so fast that he almost felt dizzy as he straightened up and turn around in his stool. He blinked a couple times to get his eyes to focus on the earnest face of his sixteen-year-old son in front of him, almost too close as if he'd been ready to set a hand to Tony's shoulder. Huh. Must be important to Peter then if he was actually going to insist that they speak right that minute.

"Son of mine!" Tony knew that his jovial tone and the wide smile on his face were a little forced. He could see it in the concerned wrinkle of Peter's eyes, but when he'd been old enough Tony and Pepper had sat him down and gently, kindly told him about Tony's father and why Tony reacted the way he did at times. Their son was empathetic enough, and socially adept enough, to know that repressing it and ignoring it were Tony's coping mechanisms and as unhealthy as they were it wasn't Peter's job, as the kid, to worry about them, even though he always did, "What's up, kiddo?"

"I, uh, I really need your help on something. I've been trying to do it by myself, but I can't quite get it." Peter's excess energy, so much like Tony's own, translated into nervous movement, shifting his weight, running his hands through his hair, wringing them, snapping randomly. When he spoke you could gauge how important the conversation was to him by how much he used his hands. Judging by the way he would reach out as if to stress his point, then pull his arms back in almost immediately, whatever it was, it was really important to his son. Tony put down the tool he still had in hand and made eye contact with Peter so that his son would know that he had his absolute attention.

"What's up, Pete?" He asked, before Peter could begin to ramble, "How can I help?"

"I need help with this…" Peter grabbed what had looked like an instrument case from his feet and set it on the table. Tony had wondered about the case, because last he knew Pepper had given up on Peter playing an instrument when he was five and Tony had helped him take apart the grand piano she'd bought him to figure out all of the components and how they all worked to produce sound. But, it wasn't an instrument at all. When Peter opened up the case Tony leaned in, fascinated, to look at the unique project it held.

It was a prosthetic. A child's prosthetic from the look of it. The arm had several points of articulation from the elbow, to each and every finger in multiple places. Tony could tell that it was meant to function very much like a flesh and blood arm. He picked it up carefully, in deference to work that had obviously already gone into it and looked at it from every angle. It was meant to be attached just below the shoulder, it looked like, but there weren't any straps that Tony could see that were meant to hold it in place. He looked down inside and huffed out a surprised breath at the work. The sensors were just incredible. It was meant to attach and, using a series of sensors, function just as any flesh and blood arm would. It kind of blew Tony's mind the obvious work and talent that had already gone into the arm.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Yes, Sir?" the A.I. responded immediately.

"Get Bruce up here, would you? Tell him it's important."

"Of course, sir. Right away."

"Dad?" Peter asked, looking nervous.

"Peter…" Tony breathed, "This is incredible. This…what?"

Luckily his son knew exactly what he meant and immediately launched into the explanation that Tony was looking for, "You remember when we dedicated the children's ward at Nonna's hospital?"

"I remember."

"Well, when you and Mom were shaking hands and kissing babies or whatever it is you guys do at those things I talked to a couple of the kids who were invited. One of the was a little jerk. He was moody and had the biggest chip on his shoulder because we have money and I…"

Tony grinned, "You liked him right away."

"Yeah. He was fun once I got him to actually talk to me. We joked around until his group had to go back to their group home." Peter ran his hand through his hair, "I didn't think I'd see him again, but a couple of weeks later the decathlon team went to the primary school to help some kids with their science projects and he was there. He had the nastiest look on his face so no one really wanted to work with him, but he saw me and he remembered me and I was probably the only one who was going to work him anyway, so…He had these ideas for a new arm for himself. He lost his arm in a car accident when he was six and he's been getting along without it okay since then, but he says he needs something better than he has now. He needs something he can actually use. And his ideas are great, Dad, but he doesn't have the money to fabricate what he wants. And we do, and we've gotten this far, but it's still not quite there in articulation and response time, and I want him to have what he wants so bad, but…"

"Pete, Pete! Breathe!" Tony reached out and put his hands on his son's shoulders. Once he'd gotten the steam going, he couldn't seem to stop and he was almost hyperventilating at the end, "Calm down and breathe with me, kid."

It took a couple of minutes, but eventually Peter calmed enough to breathe normally, and then he surprised Tony by throwing himself in his arms. Peter had always been a physically affectionate person. When he was little, he'd always wanted to be cuddled on Tony's lap or on Pepper's lap, he always wanted to be holding someone's hand, and he never hesitated to enthusiastically return a hug, but as he'd gotten older and he'd seen how physical contact could sometimes make Tony uncomfortable he'd taken to hip checking his dad, or putting a hand on his shoulder, not necessarily the big contact stuff, but when he needed it, Tony was not going to deny him the comfort.

"What's going on, Peter Pan?" Tony asked, gently.

"I think he needs the arm because someone's hurting him, Dad." Peter said quietly, still trembling, "We were doing so good and I was so excited, I put my hand on his shoulder and he made this sound. It was like kicking a puppy. I could see his back, it's all black and blue, but he ran away before I could say anything and I don't know what to do except make sure he gets what he needs."

"What's his name, Pete."

Peter relaxed in his arms so easily that Tony knew he'd understood what Peter was hoping for when he'd brought this to his dad. Tony had gone cold when Peter had admitted his concerns. For a second he was back in his father's office, unable to defend himself against the man, knowing it would only make it worse. He'd never wanted Peter to be touched by anything of the sort, but somehow it had found his boy anyway. And he wasn't going to let it break his heart. He refused.

"James Barnes. People call him Bucky. I have absolutely no idea why." Peter laughed a little hysterically.

"Pete," Tony pulled back a little, put his hands on either side of Peter's face, and waited until Peter placed his own hands on his shoulders. It was a position they had discovered through trial and error when Peter had a panic attack, "I am going to fix this. I promise you. No one's going to hurt him again."

Peter nodded and closed his eyes, a couple of tears leaking out of them. He was so strong and getting to be the kind of man that Tony was so proud to call him son, that seeing the tears brought a couple of his own to his eyes. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Peter's forehead.

"I know you will, Dad." Peter's absolute faith in him made his breath hitch a little.

"Am I interrupting something?" Bruce's voice broke both Tony and Peter out of their haze and they jumped away from each other, not quite embarrassed, "J.A.R.V.I.S. said you needed me for something important?"

"Yeah, Brucie-Bear! Totally need you for the most important thing! We're fabricating an actually useful prosthetic for a…"

"Eight." Peter supplied.

"Eight-year-old." Tony finished, "Pete has the prototype, but he was saying that it's still not where it needs to be for articulation and response. This could be a huge division for SI if we can make this work. Could you help Pete get started on some improvements? I have a couple things that I need to do real quick."

Tony could see on Bruce's face that he was picking up on the tension in both Peter and himself and was relieved when his best friend and colleague stepped into the room, nodding already and reaching out for the prototype. Tony handed it over and only waited long enough for Bruce to begin exclaiming over the work as he had before he slipped out of the lab.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., free up Pepper's afternoon, code Peter to let her know how important it is. Tell her he's okay and then have her meet me in the penthouse and get me one of the lawyers on standby in case we need them. And find the kid." Tony ordered as he stepped into the elevator.

"Already done, Sir" J.A.R.V.I.S. responded, rattling off the information for a group home in Brooklyn. "I've already contacted Ms. Moore. She is waiting for contact from yourself or Mrs. Potts-Stark. I alerted her to pull forms for emergency guardianship, information to follow. Mr. Hogan has been notified of the need for a driver and Mrs. Potts-Stark is already waiting for you in the penthouse. I feel I must inform you that she is not happy with you."

"Some things are more important than my wife being happy with me, J.A.R.V." Tony said as he walked off the elevator.

"Oh, are they?" Pepper asked, her tone cold as ice. She was beautifully put together, as she always was, her hair up in the French knot that he loved to loose it from, her suit a striking baby blue that complimented her complexion, her toe tapping in the nude shoe with the killer heel that he knew she normally would have kicked off as soon as she walked into their home, her arms crossed.

"This is, Pep," He said seriously, took her elbow, and led her to the bar before pouring a single finger of Scotch for both of them. Pepper looked surprised. Tony hadn't reached for alcohol for comfort since Peter was born. She watched him carefully and took a sip of her own drink only when he'd downed his and then put the glass down. He needed the drink to steady himself, but he wasn't going to let himself have anything more. He wanted to be sharp. He watched her get angrier and angrier as he told her what Peter had told him, her mouth pinching at the corners, her eyes narrowing. When he finished she downed the rest of her drink and turned around.

"What the hell are you waiting for, Stark?" She asked tensely.

Tony grinned, following in the wake of her righteous fury. He was quiet as she and Ms. Moore, their most competent and brutal lawyer, discussed the forms that were needed. Ms. Moore was certain that if they were able to get pictures of the abuse and send them to her that it would be no problem to get them emergency guardianship of the boy. They had a good reputation as wonderful, loving parents to a well-mannered, by all accounts wonderful, kind boy and, disgustingly more important, they had money to support the child. J.A.R.V.I.S. was forwarding her information about the boy as soon as he could uncover it and the forms would be completed before they even got there. Happy kept sending worried glances at him in the rear-view, not used to him being so quiet, but he wasn't able to speak around the fury in his throat. His knuckles were white and he was afraid that he was going to break his phone. Without missing a beat, Pepper took his phone from his hand and linked her fingers with his, squeezing just as hard as he was. He focused on the feel of her hand against his the rest of the ride, shutting out the rest of the world. His thoughts narrowed as they only ever did when he was working.

Bucky…Bucky…No one's going to hurt Bucky again…became the mantra in his head.

When they finally got to the group home Tony took three deep breaths, Pepper waiting for him, before he stepped out of the car when Happy opened the door. There was a woman who obviously hadn't bathed in a few days, in her bathrobe with a beer and a cigarette, sitting on the stairs. Tony and Pepper had taught Peter all his life that they didn't use their name to leverage anything in their lives. They used their wit, their gifts, but never just a name. They hadn't really earned the name, after all, they were born with it. But, Tony had to admit, it did come in handy at times. He put his sunglasses on, knew they cost more than the woman probably saw in a month though she wouldn't recognize that, and felt the mantle of "The Tony Stark" come over him. It had never been who he was, but he'd used it so long that it had taken love and genuine friendship from people like Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, Bruce and his wife Betty, and May Parker to make him see that he was so much more than "The Tony Stark." Peter's birth had put the final coffin in the persona of "The Tony Stark" being used with people he loved and who loved him, but he knew Pepper wouldn't begrudge him the use of the costume when he was feeling so vulnerable.

"Hi," He grinned charmingly, "Are you the head of this fine establishment?" He put enough charm in it that the lady sat up and attempted to straighten her robe.

"What's it to you?" She asked suspiciously.

"I'm Tony Stark and this is my wife."

"Virginia Potts-Stark," Pepper had put on her own public persona, iced over charm.

"Our son, Peter, told us about one of your residents and we just had to meet him. James Barnes? Likes to go by Bucky?"

"Oh!" Hearing their names, the woman stood and put out her cigarette. Comically, her hand went up to the hair that would need to be washed at least three times before it could even be made presentable, "I'm Barb Wooden, and yeah. Me, and my husband, Chuck, run this home. Yeah, Bucky stays with us, but really, if you're interested in a kid, you really don't want Bucky. Kid's a troublemaker. Has been since his parents were killed in the accident. Just screwed something up in his head when he lost them and the arm."

"All the same," Pepper said icily, "We'd like to speak with him if you don't mind."

"Oh, sure. Come on in. Pardon the mess. We weren't expecting company."

"Not a problem," Tony smiled again, completely aware that it was the smile that made him look vaguely shark-like, according to his wife and son.

They walked into the house, which was cleaner than expected. Whatever else happened to Bucky under this roof there were no cockroaches running rampant, no hoarder situation that would need to also be addressed. They were shown to the kitchen and offered drinks that they declined as they sat at the table, waiting.

"Just breathe, babe," Pepper reminded him under her breath as he gripped her hand as his only lifeline.

It was a good ten minutes before a kid was practically shoved into the kitchen in from of Mrs. Wooden. Tony took a lot in with his first glance. The kid, as expected, had only his right arm, as had been expected. He looked thin for his age, though maybe a little above average height. He was probably only a couple inches shorter than Peter and from the gaunt look of his face the light weight was due to lack of nutrition, not puberty. His long hair was wet, as if someone had made him try to comb the wild mess down. His clothes were clean, but not well-fitting, as if he'd been forced into someone else's clothes for the meeting. It was the body language, though, that worried Tony the most. He was curled in on himself, as if trying to make himself seem smaller and he eyed them warily, before blinking in recognition. Smart kid. Tony decided, he'd made the connection that they were Peter's parents. Then, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else and wasn't that a mystery?

"We'd like to speak to Bucky alone, please." Pepper said, keeping her voice low and steady. His wife had always been more observant than he was and probably saw a lot more than he did.

"Well, you see…" Mrs. Wooden began.

"We insist." Pepper used her tone that made men who'd been through a lot more than Barb Wooden crumble and the woman scooted out of the room, glancing behind her suspiciously.

"Bucky," Her tone softened to the same voice she used when Peter was sick or worried about something, "Please sit down. We just want to talk to you, I promise."

The boy was still looking at them suspiciously, "Come on, kid," Tony worked to make his voice as gentle as his wife's, "You trust Pete enough to let him work on the arm with you. Trust us enough to talk with us for a few minutes?"

At the mention of Peter Bucky visibly relaxed and slunk to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting in it, slumped, looking down, and not at either of them. Pepper looked at him, then at Tony, and the helplessness in her eyes made Tony's heart clench and made it hard to swallow around the emotion in his throat. She wanted to help, but in this situation she just didn't know how. Tony looked at the boy in front of them and closed his eyes, trying to think of the questions he'd wished someone would just ask when he was a child, still fearing his father.

"Bucky," Tony said quietly, "Can you look at me?"

There was a shake of the head. Okay, Tony could deal with that.

"Can you look at Pepper?"

There was a pause before bright blue eyes looked up and met Pepper's.

"Good. You just look at Pepper, then. I'm going to ask you some hard questions. I need you to answer them with the truth. I know that you don't know us beyond Peter. And I know that this is going to be really hard for you. Do you want Pepper to hold your hand?"

The kid shook his head, breathing hard.

"That's fine. But, if you ever need anyone to hold your hand, you can say it. No judgment. Pepper's holding my hand right now, because I need her to." Their joined hands were laid on the table and Bucky's sight shifted to them, "No one is going to touch you if you don't want them to, even to hold your hand. Do you think you can answer some questions?"

The shaggy head nodded. "Yes," the voice was so quiet.

"Okay. We'll go as slow as you need." Tony searched his mind for anything that might make the next conversation easier to begin, "Peter brought your prototype into my lab today after you left the coaching session. He said you came up with a lot of the ideas, you just didn't have a lot of resources to help with fabrication. He's so proud of you. And I have to say that what I saw was very good work. It was stunning, really. My colleague, Bruce Banner, and Peter, are actually looking at it right now, trying to determine where improvements can be made to make it easier to use. You're very smart, Bucky."

Bucky flinched as if he'd been slapped at the compliment, then colored in a sweet way, "Thank you."

"I really think that your ideas could have a practical application for Stark Industries. How would you feel about that?"

For the first time, Bucky looked at him, and his mouth was open in shock. After a moment he came back to himself and looked back at Pepper, swallowing hard.

"Tony wouldn't say it if it wasn't true, sweetheart," Pepper smiled, "SI is his baby as much as Peter is."

"Peter was so impressed and happy today," Tony continued, "But he told me that when he tried to put his hand on your shoulder he saw something bad. Can you show us?"

Bucky breathed in harshly and pushed away from the table, though he didn't get up, shaking his head violently.

"Okay, okay…" Tony said calmly, "That's fine. Like I said, Bucky, no one is going to touch you without your permission. But, I need you to answer me truthfully. Did you get bruised in an accident?"

It took nearly five minutes, but Tony and Pepper just waited, Bucky looking back and forth between them before he finally lowered his head miserably and shook it.

"Okay…" Tony breathed, "Thanks for telling me. Did someone hurt you, Bucky? Someone here?"

Another five minutes, and then a nod.

"Another kid?"

A shake accompanied by a sob. Tony could see that Pepper was nearly trembling with the effort not to jump over the table and take Bucky in her arms, but her promise to the boy was more important to her than her own need to comfort him.

"Are the adults here hurting you?" Tony asked softly, as gently as he could manage.

Bucky began to breathe harder, but he finally nodded, "They get paid more for us, but they don't like broken kids."

Tony's own breath caught so fast that it made Bucky look up.

"You are not broken, sweetheart," Pepper said strongly, holding out her free hand, almost begging Bucky to take it with her eyes, "You are strong and beautiful. Never let anyone tell you otherwise." Pepper was crying by that point and Tony felt himself start when Bucky finally reached across the table and took Pepper's hand in his own. Pepper squeezed, but not too tight, she wanted him to know that he'd be able to get away from her if he needed to.

"Sweetheart," Pepper took over, "If you let us take pictures, we can get you out of here. Tonight. Right now. You can come home with us where no one will ever hurt you again."

"No!" The reaction from Bucky was instantaneous and unpredictable. His head flew up, his eyes wide with terror, and he pulled his arm away from Pepper and was out of the room before either of them could blink. Tony jumped up so violently that his chair flew backward into the cabinet and took off after him. He couldn't think of anything else as he followed Bucky and finally caught up with him at the top of a staircase. He broke his own rule and grabbed on to Bucky, pulling the boy's back to his chest and holding him tight in his arms.

"No!" Bucky screamed again, "I can't go with you! I can't!"

Tony just held him, murmuring nonsense into his hair until finally Bucky collapsed and relaxed in his arms, sobbing his heart out.

"Sweetheart, sweetheart," Pepper murmured, petting Bucky's hair as he cried, "It's okay. It's okay."

"What's going on, buddy?" Tony asked, feeling Bucky's panic begin to take hold in him, "Tell me, please. What's going on?"

"I can't leave them!" Bucky cried out, throwing himself forward into Pepper's arms and pointing at the door at the end of the hall. Tony felt like he was in a dream as he left Bucky with Pepper and made his way down the hall. He hadn't felt such dread weigh him down with every step since his father used to call him to his office for a beating. When he got to the door, he almost heaved a sigh of relief to find it locked. Then, without knowing what he was doing, he kicked the door open.

There were two other boys in the room. One about the same age as Bucky, if Tony had to guess, but much more compact, though he was no less emaciated, and in his arms was a kid who couldn't have been more than three, more skeleton than kid. The older was cradling the little one and looked between them with eyes that saw everything saw into Tony's very soul.

"It's okay," Tony got on his knees and held out a hand, trying to be as non-threating as possible, "We're here to help."

The older boy, his dishwater blonde hair, almost covering his eyes, stayed where he was, not moving, his breath heaving and his eyes darting around the room as if looking for an escape.

"Clint!" Bucky's voice sounded from the hall and Tony moved aside as Bucky broke into the room, his hands moving wildly. He was signing, Tony realized with a start. Because the other kid, Clint, couldn't hear him. Because he was deaf and either couldn't use or didn't have hearing aids. As soon as he saw Bucky, he relaxed and the two huddled together, looking worriedly at the little one in Clint's arms.

"An ambulance has been called and is en route, Sir, Ma'am." J.A.R.V.I.S. said quietly into Tony's earpiece, and he knew that Pepper was getting the same message in her own, "Mr. Hogan is detaining Mrs. Wooden. The police are on their way to your location as well as Mr. Wooden's workplace. Ms. Moore has all of the information I could find on all three boys. James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, age 8, lost his parents in an automobile accident that also left him without his left arm. Clinton Francis Barton, age 8, was turned over to the system after his parents were killed in an alcohol related car accident, has one older brother, Bernard Barton, age 18, whereabouts unknown. Clinton is mostly deaf in both ears. And Steven Grant Rogers, age 2. Father was killed in Afghanistan, mother lost her battle with cancer 9months ago. The boy has been in and out of the hospital all of his life, no evidence prior to the mother's death, of abuse. He seems to have some undiagnosed medical ailments."

"He'll get the best of care now," Pepper said strongly. She crawled across the floor in her nine-thousand-dollar skirt, not caring a whit for it, and was patient and kind, when Clinton hesitated protectively and tried to shield Steven from her. Bucky got into his sight line and whatever he signed made Clinton relax because he handed the little one over to her. Pepper rocked the still sleeping, or perhaps unconscious, toddler in her arms, and pressed kisses to his face as she cried over him.

"Pep," Tony said quietly, "Let's get them out of here."

Pepper nodded and stood with Tony's help, not letting go of the little one in her arms. Tony knew the look in her eyes as she held him as tightly as she dared and looked back at the boys behind her, desperate not to leave them. They were going to be theirs. Pepper already thought of all three as theirs and no matter how hard they had to fight or how much money they had to throw at this, they were going to be theirs in fact as well as feeling. Tony understood. He felt the same way.

"Come with me, boys," Tony said quietly, "Please. We're going to get Steven some help and none of you will ever have to look at this place again. Please. You can come home with us. All of you. Just come with me now."

"You can trust them," Bucky said and signed to Clinton at the same time, "They're Peter's parents. They don't hurt when they touch." Tony's heart broke, and the tears streamed down his face, not that he cared, when both boys threw their arms around him and kept them around his waist as they all began to move as a unit through the house. Before they made it to the front door J.A.R.V.I.S. warned that press had gotten wind of what was happening and there were at least three photographers outside, along with two ambulances, three police cars, and Happy trying to contain it all.

"Hide your faces, boys," Tony murmured quietly before they stepped out the door. They'd had so much taken from them. Tony wasn't going to allow their privacy to be breached so soon after he found them, "I'll get you to the ambulance. I know it's going to be hard, but we need let Pepper to take Steven in another ambulance." Both boys tensed and looked at him with distrust in their too-old eyes. "But, we'll all go to the same place. I'll come with you. Pepper will go with him. Please. I know it's hard, but I need you to trust me for just a bit longer."

Clinton looked at Bucky and there seemed to be an unspoken conversation between them before, simultaneously, they put their arms back around his waist and buried their faces in his hips. Tony took off his jacket and handed it over to Pepper so that she could lay it over Steven to keep his face out of the press as well, then set his hands to the boy's backs. He nodded at Pepper and as one they moved out of the house and toward the ambulances with their flashing lights. There were other flashes as they moved, bright and obviously from cameras, but the boys kept their faces hidden and the ambulance attendants closed the doors as soon as Tony was in one ambulance with Bucky and Clinton and Pepper was in the other with Steven.

Things happened fast after that. They were taken to a hospital where the boys refused to let Tony out of their sight and his heart broke when he had to let them go and they cried through the police taking pictures for their case against the Wooden's. When the police were gone and the doctor's had pronounced both Bucky and Clinton, Clint, as he liked to be called, not in any danger (Dehydration they needed IVs for, malnutrition, and multiple contusions, a couple of fractures, that would heal with time.) Tony pushed the beds together in the room he'd demanded for them, and promised he would stand guard and find out how Steven ("Stevie!" Bucky insisted.) was doing. Finally, after the worst afternoon of his life, his boys finally fell asleep, cuddling close to each other. He was honored, and broken, that they trusted him to enough to keep watch for them. Pepper sent Happy to him a couple of hours later, refusing to leave Stevie. But, the news was good. Stevie had been dangerously dehydrated and malnourished, and had pneumonia, but he was responding well to treatment and he'd woken up briefly for a bottle and had then fallen back asleep against Pepper in the rocking chair that she'd been brought. Happy had taken a picture and Tony had seen on Pepper's face the absolute contentment of motherhood that he hadn't seen on her face since Peter himself was small enough to be rocked in her lap. Yes, these boys were theirs. All three of them.

"Ms. Moore has finalized the paperwork for emergency guardianship. The judge has signed off on it. There are private shoppers preparing rooms for young Master Bucky, Master Clint, and Master Stevie. Would you like me to ask Ms. Moore to begin official proceedings for adoption?"

"J.A.R.V.," Tony lifted his eyebrow, "You saw the picture. I know you did. What do you think?"

"Very well, Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. almost sounded smug, "I had already informed Ms. Moore of such."

Tony huffed a laugh at the sass of his A.I. and then sat down in the chair next to the pushed together bed. Clint, who had yet to say a word, looked at him with eyes entirely too old, and held out a hand. Tony took the offered hand and then breathed easier when Clint closed his eyes trustingly. It was only a half hour later when Peter snuck into the room as took Bucky's hand when it was offered.

When both boys had fallen asleep again Peter looked at him, a radiant smile on his face, "This is a really good thing, Dad."

"Yeah." Tony agreed. He leaned his head back against the uncomfortable chair, exhausted but happier than he could remember being for a long time. "So, Pete…how would do you feel about getting three new brothers?"


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All Previous Disclaimers Apply. I also do not own any rights to "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, "Carry Oy Wayward Son" by Kanas, or "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones. No profit is made.
> 
>  
> 
> A much shorter chapter this time, but it felt right to end it here. I hope you like it!

The first time Tony held Stevie was one of the scariest and best experiences of his life. Stevie was small for a two-year-old, only as big as Peter had been at maybe a year. Tony had never been scared to hold Peter. From the moment he was born there was just something in Tony that recognized Peter as his own, some remnant from ages past or something that had been in Peter as well. From day one as soon as Peter was put in his arms they both relaxed into it, breathing in sync, calming in each other's presence. There was no such immediate bond with Stevie. It had been hard to leave Clint and Bucky in the hospital room after he'd been their guard and one of the only people who'd been able to get them to relax for three days, but when Pepper had suggested that he needed to come meet Stevie so their littlest could get to know him as well he knew she was right. She was also right that she needed to spend some time with Clint and Bucky as well. Their boys needed to be comfortable with them both before they even thought about taking them home. So, Tony had left Clint and Bucky in their private room with Peter curled up on the bed with them, all three of them drowsing lightly as they watched the nameless cartoon on the screen in front of them. Peter had assured him that he would watch over the boys and when they'd all let him place a gentle kiss to their hair he'd counted it as a win.

He'd been pretty confident, happy, as he walked down the hall to Stevie's room. The first thing he noticed when he walked in was that there was a lot more medical equipment in Stevie's room than there was in Clint and Bucky's, which made sense when he thought about it more. Stevie was sick, whereas the other two were mostly just tired, stressed and in need of a good meal. When he looked past the equipment to see Stevie and Pepper sitting on the rocking chair just beyond the empty bed his heart nearly broke. Pepper had, at some point, probably when Stevie was sleeping, changed into a pair of yoga pants and a loose, flowing shirt. The make-up and neatly organized hair she wore like armor was gone, replaced by a fresh clean face and a messy bun on top of her head. She looked tired, but not exhausted, as she smiled over at him. She was holding Stevie to her, his head comfortably on her chest as they reclined together, careful for the IV that had been placed in his foot, because the little veins on his hands had just been too small. Tony, noticed, in an absent way that he hadn't before, that Stevie was small. Really small. He knew from J.A.R.V.I.S. that Stevie was two-years-old, but it didn't seem possible. He looked about as big as Peter had been when he was turning just a year old. It was when he looked, really looked, at Stevie, that he felt his heart hurt. No matter how comfortable he'd gotten with Pepper, as soon as someone else had entered the room Stevie had tensed up, Tony could see it in the stiff way he was holding himself, the death grip he had on Pepper's shirt, and the distrust, not quite fear because there was a little bit of anger in there as well, in his startlingly crystal blue eyes.

"Hi," Pepper said quietly, so as not to startle the little one in her arms.

"Hi," he said back, just as quietly. He moved slowly, always making sure that he was projecting his movements, wanting Stevie to see everything he was doing, as he crossed the room. When he finally made it to the rocking chair he set a gentle hand to Stevie's back and felt the boy go impossibly stiffer, taunt like a bowstring, and leaned over to press a gentle kiss to Pepper's waiting lips.

"Stevie, this is Tony," Pepper said gently, running a hand over Stevie's fine hair, blonde Tony could see now that it had been washed, "I've told you about Tony. He's been staying with Clint and Bucky while we're here, but we thought it was a good idea for you two to meet. Stevie just got off of oxygen this morning, Tony." She never changed the tone of her voice, gentle but not condescending as so many adults spoke to kids. Pepper had always given every person the respect they deserved, regardless of age, and Tony follow suite.

"Hi, Stevie," He crouched down so that he could look directly in those mistrusting eyes, "I'm glad to see you're feeling a bit better. The doctors tell us just a couple of days and we'll all be ready to go home. We're having a new bedroom done up for you. Bucky told me you like blue."

When Stevie didn't say anything, Tony looked up at Pepper with a question in his eyes.

"Stevie doesn't feel like talking very much quite yet." Pepper told him, smiling down at the little boy in her arms warmly.

"That's okay. I talk enough for the both of us." Tony said, "You can talk when you're ready, Stevie. Or not if you don't feel like it. Clint and Bucky have been teaching me and Peter some sign language so that we can understand Clint better and he tells me that you're a pro at it."

"I'll have to learn, too," Pepper nodded, "I'd better get started. Stevie, I'm going to have Tony sit with you for a while. I promise, he doesn't hurt when he touches. Just like me, all he wants to do is see you happy and healthy."

"That's right," Tony agreed.

He helped Pepper sit up the reclining back of the rocking chair and waited until she stood before reaching out for Stevie. The only indication of his fright, was the wideness of his eyes and the stiffness of his little body, as he loosed his hand from Pepper's shirt as soon as she began moving him into Tony's embrace. Taking Stevie in his arms was like taking hold of a board, but Tony didn't give any indication that anything was off. Drawing attention to it would only make Stevie more aware of it as well. As soon as Tony was holding the little boy he sat in the rocking chair, much the same way that Pepper had, and leaned back so that Stevie could lay against his chest.

"I'll see you both in a little bit," Pepper said, running her hand over Stevie's hair one last time, "Maybe if the doctors say it's okay I can bring Clint and Bucky to Stevie's room for dinner."

"That would be good," Tony agreed, "Until then Stevie and I are just going to get to know each other a little better. Maybe take a nap or watch a movie."

Pepper smiled the soft, romantic smile that Tony knew was reserved just for him, and leaned over to kiss him before she left the room quietly.

Tony and Stevie sat in the silent dimness of the room for about ten minutes, with the boy still stiff and uncomfortable in his arms before Tony couldn't take it anymore. Silence had never been something that he was truly comfortable with, even when he was on his own, and he felt himself growing antsy, which wasn't good when Stevie was still so utterly terrified of him. He considered just letting himself ramble, but he knew that when he did that he wasn't completely in charge of what came out of his mouth and his mind had been in some dark places the last few days, the abuse of the boys having brought back a lot of the memories that he had suppressed for so long about the abuse he'd been given by his father's hand for so many years. He wasn't quite sure how much Stevie would actually understand, but a little boy, even as young as Stevie was, would be forced to grow up and know about topics he never should have at his age because of the abuse, so he really didn't want to take the chance. So, he began to hum, starting low and broken, but growing a little in volume as Stevie began to relax against him bit by bit. He didn't know when the hum became low singing, just as he didn't really pay attention to what he was singing, going through songs like "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Carry On Wayward Son" and singing them in ways that kept them gentle and low. It wasn't until the last chorus of "Wild Horses" that he noticed that Stevie had finally relaxed against him bonelessly. He took a chance and looked down at the little boy in his arms while he sang.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, wild horses. We'll ride them someday."

The blue eyes the met his were tired and half-closed, glazed with near sleep. But, there wasn't fear in them any longer. The mistrust had given way to comfort and, dare Tony say it even a little bit of affection. He began the song again as those eyes closed and Stevie relaxed into sleep. He pulled a light blanket out of the basket next to the chair and laid it over Stevie's little back, rubbing it gently over the blanket as the boy slept. He kept humming, warm and comfortable himself, feeling such a sense of overwhelming love for the little one in his arms, until he, too, gave in and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Previous Disclaimers Apply.
> 
> There is more reference to the abuse that the boys suffered in this chapter. Please don't read it if it's triggering for you. I am loving this little family and happier times are ahead for them. If there are any scenarios you'd like to see written please drop me a line. I really don't have an aim for this story yet.

"Mr. Stark? Mrs. Potts-Stark?"

The man at the door was not one that either of them had seen yet in the hospital and that automatically put them both on edge. The closer it came to the release date of the boys from the hospital, the more nervous Tony and Pepper got. It wasn't that they were questioning their decision to take the boys in, and it wasn't that they didn't think that they would provide the boys a loving, supportive home. It was simply that the closer they got to actually taking the boys home, to making them a part of their everyday lives, the more they worried that something would happen to take the boys away from them. They already loved them all so much, already felt like they were a part of the family, if anything went wrong…If the boys were separated because Tony and Pepper didn't end up being what was best for them, despite how much they loved them, it would break their hearts. And more importantly, it would break the boys' hearts and they knew that something like that would hurt infinitely more than their own wounds if it came to pass.

They tried to reassure themselves by reminding each other that the judge had granted them emergency guardianship of the boys and child services had already done a walk-through of the penthouse in the tower. They hadn't been there, of course, they hadn't wanted to leave the boys alone in the hospital, but Peter, Bruce, and Betty had been there. Bruce and Betty had been the ones to oversee the transformation of their penthouse from a place that was going to quickly become an empty nest full of beautiful artwork, glass, steel and the most gorgeous, well-stocked bar that Tony had been able to imagine, to a place where three young boys would be comfortable. The bar room that had originally been Tony's pride and joy in the tower, had become a family room, full of toys, games, comfortable, overstuffed furniture, books, and a projector that would put a film on almost a whole wall. Tony hadn't been disappointed in the least when Bruce had texted him pictures. In truth, he'd designed the bar room to be so opulent, so over the top, because he knew that he was going to miss Peter terribly when he left for school. Knowing that he didn't need it anymore, that he had more time with more boys, his boys, had been one of the best things he'd ever felt. When he'd huddled on the pushed together beds with the boys and showed them everything that had been done, even if he had been disappointed to lose his bar, the looks on their faces, bright and so sweet and hopeful it almost hurt, would have been more than enough recompense.

But, the looks on their faces when they saw the family room were nothing compared to the looks on their faces when they saw their own rooms. In the first few days when the boys couldn't bear to be away from them, even for a few minutes at a time, they'd learned a lot about them. Bucky loved all things mechanical and his mind saw around corners in a way that astounded even Tony. While Tony had always been a little disappointed that Peter was more scientifically, and not as engineering-minded Tony himself, Tony knew that Bucky was going to be the kid that he could talk through projects with, the one who would sit with him for hours to figure out how to engineer the dreams they saw in their heads. (Not that he'd ever been disappointed in Peter. It was just that he was more interested in Bruce's kind of work than Tony's and it had always made Tony just a little sad.) So, in Bucky's room, Tony had had a work bench installed with all of the tools and scraps a young engineer could ever hope for. The dangerous stuff would be in his lab, of course, but Bucky would be welcome anytime if he needed more help, with adult supervision, of course. His room was decorated in a modern tone, with a lot of greys and bold streaks of red. He'd buried his face in Pepper's side, overwhelmed, when they'd assured him that, yes, the room was all his and everything in it was there for him.

Clint had been quieter, partly due to the fact that they were still learning how to communicate with him, but mostly because he was just a very reserved young man, not quite as trusting as Bucky. But, he also hadn't had the time with Peter that Bucky had. The first he'd known of them was when Tony'd kicked the door to their prison/bedroom open. He trusted them to keep Bucky and Stevie safe, but held himself reserved, so they'd had to be extra vigilant to gain clues as to what interested him and what would help him feel happy with them. Pepper had been on the verge of despair three days before when they still hadn't felt like they knew anything about him, until, by chance Peter had put on "Robin Hood" for the boys. Clint had watched with fascination, his eyes never leaving the screen and Tony had seen his fingers and arms twitching as he watched and when he'd finally figured out that the fingers were curving into a shooting formation and Clint was forcing his arms not to come up in an imitation of the archers, it had felt like a revelation. Getting Clint to tell them about archery, with Bucky translating, had opened the doors like a floodgate. Clint became animated and excited as he told them about his interest, and it translated to him telling them more, how he liked to be up high because, while he couldn't hear, his eyes were excellent and he liked to be able to see what was happening. So, they'd ordered the best, highest lofted bed they could find so that Clint would feel more comfortable. His room was painted in strong greens, to emulate Sherwood forest, and the accents of his favorite color, a deep, rich purple, made him smile. He had his own workstation under his bed, but his was covered with different styles of bow appropriate for his age so that he could discover which he liked best. Tony had never seen a smile so wide as when he told Clint that part of a level a couple of floors below the penthouse was going to be converted into a shooting range for him and that he'd have lessons with some of the best archers in the world for as long as archery interested him.

"Forever?" he'd asked, signing and finally speaking to them as he hadn't before.

"If that's how long you love archery," Pepper had assured him. He'd initiated his first hug with them when they told him that and it had made them both feel as if their hearts were overflowing.

Stevie, of course, was a little harder as he was still so young and he still wasn't all that interested in speaking, though they knew by the way he relaxed around them, and curled into them that they'd gained his trust. Bucky and Clint had both assured them that Stevie's favorite color was blue, so they'd decorated his room in different shade of it and when they'd placed toys in front of him he'd gone for the hands-on ones like puzzles and blocks rather than electronic ones, so they'd filled the room with the types good, old-fashioned toys that seemed to make him the happiest. Stevie had giggled for the first time that they'd heard when Peter had been finger painting with him, and he'd pouted when they'd taken them away, only to smile again when he was handed some paper and crayons so they'd also filled his room with age appropriate art supplies and figured that as he got older and decided other things that interested him they could change things up.

But, none of their efforts would matter if someone decided to take the boys from them. They looked up at the man in the doorway, and tried to keep their nerves down. He looked official and harried in a way that most social workers looked. His almond-shaped eyes squinting from behind the glasses perched on his wide nose. His clothes were expensive, but rumpled in a way that suggested that someone in his household cared about the finer things in life, but that it wasn't necessarily him. When he looked up at them, they breathed a little easier. He didn't necessarily smile, but he had a kind face that instilled trust almost immediately. And when he looked and saw that the boys, all four of them, were in what amounted to a puppy pile on the bed, all fast asleep between the two adults, his expression softened and his voice gentled.

"If I could take just a few minutes of your time," he said quietly, "We'll be just outside the door if anyone wakes up scared."

"Sure," Pepper agreed though Tony would have been liable to argue just on principle. They carefully extricated themselves from the boys, whispering to Peter that they'd be right back when he woke as Tony moved.

"My name is Benedict Wong," The gentleman said quietly as the door shut behind them, "But, you can call me Wong. I'm the caseworker assigned to Clint, Bucky, and Stevie. I just wanted to introduce myself and have a chat before the boys are discharged later today."

"A chat?" Tony asked, already on the defensive, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, Mr. Stark," Wong said, and his tone let Tony know that he would take no nonsense, which was, in its own way, comforting, "A chat. You and Mrs. Potts-Stark and your son are about to take on three boys who have had hard lives and will probably struggle with some things that you need to be aware of."

"I'm sorry, Wong," Pepper said calmly, ever the peacekeeper, "We've just been a little on edge. We already care so much for them and we get a little defensive."

"Perfectly understandable," Wong agreed, "It's actually nice to see foster parents who care about the kids they're taking on like you do. I…look…I'm not here to be your enemy. I would rather that you think of me as your partner in keeping the boys healthy and happy. There are some things in their files that I need to make you aware of so when they come up you're not surprised."

"That makes sense," Tony grudgingly admitted, "I... We want to make sure we support the boys in the ways they need us to."

"I know," Wong smiled for the first time and it made him look ten years younger, "I could see that from my home check of your penthouse. Only people who want to make kids comfortable would spend that much on changing their home. Your bar was a thing of beauty."

"Yeah, well," Tony shrugged, a little embarrassed, "I can always put it back in when the boys are older."

Pepper smiled at her husband, glad to see that he wasn't going to be the combative ass he could be, "You said you wanted us to know some things from the boys' files?"

"Yes. Just a few things. You've probably noticed them already, though you've made more progress with the boys in a week than most people have made with them in years. Granted, they weren't always placed in good situations. Just so you know, the caseworker who placed three boys with the Woodens and never checked up on them, has been fired. She won't be placing any kid anywhere again."

Pepper closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, releasing a great deal of tension she hadn't even been aware she'd been carrying. It was good to know that one more person who cared more about money and getting kids out of the way was gone from the system. Wong seemed like a man who truly cared about what he did.

"Let's start with Bucky. It hasn't been a big deal here, but when you get home, please try to keep a light on in his room even at night. He has a hard time with the dark, according to his previous visits with a counselor. The accident that killed his parents happened at night and he was trapped in the car, pinned down in the dark for hours. He still has nightmares about that night, and they can sometimes get violent."

Tony gripped Pepper's hand and felt her grip back just as hard, "Okay."

"Aside from the abuse that Clint suffered at his father's hand before his death, resulting in his hearing loss, there's also some evidence that he was sexually abused at his first foster home, though he's never said it, even in therapy."

"Dear god," Pepper put a hand to her mouth, feeling a little sick.

Wong nodded in understanding, "He can react violently when some approaches him from behind and he's caught unaware."

"We'll have J.A.R.V.I.S. set up a light alert for him until we design a better hearing aid," Tony whispered to Pepper, wiping the tears she probably wasn't even aware of from her eyes.

"The best thing for the both of them will be to find them a good therapist that they feel comfortable with so they can discuss what happened to them in a safe space. Don't dismiss their feelings or their fears. Let them feel them and support them when they let you. Weighted blankets can work wonders for anxiety. Bucky will probably reach for physical comfort more than Clint will. Don't force physicality on Clint."

"No, never." Pepper agreed.

"Stevie is probably going to be the easiest, at least transition wise," Wong looked down at his papers again, "The Woodens were his first home. And while they neglected the boys and hit Clint and Bucky there doesn't seem to have been a lot of physical abuse to Stevie. And he's still so young he probably won't remember most of it, anyway. Your biggest challenge for Stevie is going to be his physical health. So far most doctors are still stumped and to why he gets so sick so often."

"We already have some specialists lined up to take a look at his labs," Tony agreed, nodding, "He's going to get the best care in the world."

"I think that all three of them are," Wong admitted, "Look…I've seen a lot of rich people take on foster kids, thinking of it as a good deed. You guys are nothing like them. You truly want the boys, I can see you truly care for them already. You're going to do fine. It's not going to be easy, but nothing worth it ever is, right? And if you need anything, I'm going to be right with you every step of the way. You be advocates for the boys, love them, and I'll be an advocate for you so that when you're ready to adopt them we can get it taken care of as smooth as possible."

Pepper's smile was tremulous as she looked back at him, her hand still gripped tight in Tony's, "You've been through this yourself, haven't you?"

"Yes," Wong answered simply, "He pushed his glasses up on his head and pulled his phone out of his pocket, pulling up a picture on it. He and a tall, handsome man with grey at his temples and a ready smirk on his face were each wrapped around a grinning kid, a boy with hair so blonde it was almost white and a girl with dark hair, "My husband, Stephen, and I adopted our kids, Wanda and Pietro, after they were found in the rubble of an apartment building in Sokovia. We're still working through their trauma, but it's the best thing we've ever done."

"They're beautiful," Pepper whispered, "You're a beautiful family."

"And you guys will be, too," Wong said, his voice gentle and certain.

No other words had to be said as the three of them shook hands and Wong walked away. Tony and Pepper stood outside the door for a little while, just holding each other, before they went back into the room and curled up where they had been previously with their little family, one on each side of the puppy pile of boys, protecting them and loving them more than they ever thought they could.  



	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Previous Disclaimers Apply

"I hate people," Tony moaned into the comforter where he had collapsed face down not long before. The day had been an exhausting one between Wong's information overload early in the day and then getting the boys home later in the afternoon.

It had always been a possibility that someone in the hospital would tip off the press when Tony and Pepper were getting ready to take the boys home. In fact, they'd expected some kind of media presence, had even been prepared for it. After all, they hadn't exactly been subtle when getting the boys to the hospital. The picture of Tony turning two boys faces into his sides with Pepper just behind him carrying a small boy covered by his suit jacket had been all over the gossip rags for weeks. Pepper had put together a press release that confirmed that, yes, she and Tony had been involved in getting three boys out of a bad situation, but nothing in it had confirmed or denied if they would be involved with the boys further. The press had made the correct assumption that they would when they disappeared from their normal routine and Peter had been spotted going in and out of the hospital. But, nothing had prepared them for the actual shitstorm that happened. There had been a couple hundred press gathered around the hospital entrances, and some more daring photographers had been sneaking through the halls. They'd known that they couldn't let that kind of circus get a hold of the boys before they were all ready and they'd had time to talk through it together, make some decisions together as a family. So, in the end Tony had gone out to face the masses, being his normal manipulative, close-mouthed media personality while Pepper, Peter, and Happy snuck the boys out through the kitchen with the help of the real heroes of the hospital. The nurses who had helped them for weeks would all be receiving massage packets and new Stark phones as Tony and Pepper's way to thank them.

It had taken almost an hour for Tony to be able to get himself out of the grip of the press and by the time he was done telling them too much and absolutely nothing at the same time, Happy had returned to pick him up. When he'd gotten to the penthouse the boys were tense and quiet and Bucky had thrown himself at Tony the moment he'd come out of the elevator. Stevie had reached out for him, making grabby hands, big tears running down his cherubic face. Clint had even reached out and grabbed onto the hem of Tony's suit jacket.

"Hey, now," Tony had pressed a kiss to Stevie's temple and run a hand over Bucky and Clint's heads, "What's all this?"

"There were so many people," Bucky whispered.

"They were worried for you," Pepper expanded when none of the boys seemed ready to do it.

"It's okay, guys," Tony said gently, "I know that many people can be scary, but I've been dealing with them for a long time. I know how to handle them. You don't need to worry."

The boys had taken what he said as the truth and tried to relax, but the stress and anxiety of getting out of the hospital and making the move across town to the penthouse hadn't been easy for them. Peter tried his best to help them calm down by being his normal, goofy self, but what usually got belly laughs only got slight smiles. And in the end, they had all decided to just settle in the family room, cuddled together and watching a movie just as they had done so often in the hospital. Pepper had gotten up only long enough to make them all a light supper of sandwiches and hot chocolate before rejoining them. After the stress of the day, once they were fed all three boys, and Peter, had fallen asleep almost immediately. Tony and Pepper had finished the movie, their hands linked on the back of the couch over the boys' heads, feeling content, before they'd gotten them up one at a time, waking them up just long enough to show them their rooms, where the bathroom was, where their bedroom was if they needed them, and then tucked them in. There had only been one scary moment when Clint, half asleep, had slipped while climbing into his bed, but despite the minor heart attacks it caused both Tony and Pepper, he had only used his other foot to vault him into the bed like a gymnast. They silently agreed with their eyes to get him into some classes to further train that particular talent. After their younger boys were all settled Pepper had gone to get ready for bed herself while Tony steered a mostly sleeping Peter to his own room. Then, he'd made his way to their room and collapsed on their bed still fully clothed, face down.

"You don't hate people," Pepper's voice was tired, but still amused at her husband's antics, "You love people. You hate paparazzi."

"Same thing today." Tony whined, "I need a shower. Pepper, drag me to the shower."

"That's not happening," Pepper laughed, "Drag yourself to the shower."

"But, I'm tired!"

"You whine worse that Stevie," Pepper teased, "Come on, Tones. We'll shower together."

When he looked up her face her expression was less seduction and more exhaustion as she held a hand out for him, but it didn't stop the smile that spread across his as he took the offered hand and follower her into the bathroom. They stripped each other gently, and stood under the warm spray together, holding each other close, pressing sweet, closed-mouthed kisses to each other's wet warm skin, but not feeling the need to take anything further. After almost falling asleep standing up they forced themselves to wash before haphazardly drying off and getting into sleep clothes before they both crawled into the bed with wet hair and were sleep almost before they'd pulled the blankets up around them.

Tony was woken by a sniffle, which demonstrated just how much his awareness had grown over the past couple of weeks, especially when it came to the boys. He sat up and blinked the sleep away from his eyes as he looked into the dark where the sound had come from. He wouldn't have known Clint was there except for the toe he hadn't pulled past the doorframe. But, Tony recognized the purple socks.

"Clint, sweetheart?" He asked quietly. The lights in the hall faded down, and then came back up, twice, the signal that they'd agreed on with Clint that meant someone was trying to talk with him. After a moment a little face half appeared around the door frame.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked, signing as he spoke.

Clint nodded, and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

"It's a little weird to be in your own room after so much time together, huh?" Tony asked gently.

Another nod.

"Do you want to sleep in here with Pepper and me?"

A hesitation, then another nod.

"Come on in, buddy." Tony smiled gently, and held out his hand. Clint dragged his feet as he made his way to the bed, but he snuggled down into it pretty quickly once he was in between Tony and Pepper. When Pepper sighed in her sleep and rolled over, laying a hand over Clint's chest, wanting to protect him even as she slept, he froze for a moment, and so did Tony, waiting to see what would happen. After a couple of moments Clint began to relax inch by inch until he was loose and his face was turned toward her, a small smile on it as he closed his eyes. Tony smiled and made sure that, while he didn't touch Clint, feeling that it might be too much for the boy, he was faced toward him as he allowed himself to relax again as well. He was almost asleep again when he heard a small cough.

"Come on in," He called quietly, turning over to see Bucky standing in the doorway, a sleepy Stevie in his arms. Stevie was sucking on his fist, his eyes aware, but tired.

"Come on," He said quietly, lifting the blanket in invitation.

"Only babies have to sleep with adults," Bucky murmured.

"Nah," Tony chuckled, "Peter still comes to sleep with us when he's had a nightmare. The bed's big enough. Come on in. Clint's already here."

"Dad…" Peter's voice was a whine and Tony started a little. He'd been unaware that Peter was even in the room, but his rumpled, grumpy son's head came up on the other side of Pepper, "Some people are trying to sleep here!"

"My point exactly." Tony motioned to Peter, "Come get comfortable, boys."

Bucky's smiles, a little crooked and entirely too charming for his, and Toy's own good, had quickly become one of Tony's favorite things and he felt an answering one on his own lips as the boy carried his brother to the bed. Tony sat up and took Stevie in his arms so that Bucky could climb on the bed in between himself and Clint. He slipped under the covers like a little seal and then laid his head on one side of Tony's pillow before closing his eyes and sighing happily. Tony ran a hand over his head and tried to lay Stevie down next to him, but the toddler, already mostly asleep again already, made a discontented sound from the back of his throat and clung a little. Tony pressed a kiss to his fine, blonde hair and laid down, keeping Stevie on his chest. He tried to gently extract Stevie's thumb from his mouth, but gave up when the boy was stronger than he appeared and the effort was more than Tony wanted to expend in his exhausted state, so he gave up, snuggled the boy closer, and let himself drift until he was dreaming again.

He woke up sweating and a little disoriented when he felt a weight on his chest. It took him a couple of seconds, but when he opened his eyes and saw the blonde hair it all came back to him, all of their boys crawling into bed with them in the middle of the night, Clint feeling comfortable enough to let the sleeping Pepper put her arm around him, Pepper never waking up through it all. He idly wondered what time it was, as the room was already fairly bright, and turned his head to look out the window. He was greeted instead with the sight of Pepper looking down at her phone, a soft smile on her face as she reviewed the pictures she'd just taken. Tony looked at the occupants of the bed and knew that his smile was probably just as soft and content. Clint had moved in the night, and was laid horizontally across the bottom of the bed, which wasn't a surprise, but he'd pulled the blanket and sheet up so that he could hold onto Pepper's ankle in his sleep, and was still holding it gently as he slept on, his face unlined with worry or nightmares. Pete had moved to the other side of Pepper and was sprawled out on his back like a starfish, like always, but this time he was joined by Bucky, splayed almost exactly the same way, his head on Peter's shoulder. Stevie was still curled up on Tony's chest, but had taken his thumb out of his mouth and there was quite a wet spot on Tony's t-shirt.

"Drool shouldn't be this endearing." Tony whispered to Pepper. She laughed lowly and propped herself up on her elbow.

"We probably shouldn't let them get used to sleeping in here," She murmured.

"One night isn't habit forming," Tony pointed out, "New place, new sounds, new smells. We're lucky we didn't have any nightmares last night."

"True." Pepper agreed.

Whether it was Tony and Pepper speaking or his own natural rhythms, Tony froze when he felt Stevie starting to shift around, waking up. He lifted his head up for a moment, looked around, stuck his thumb back in his mouth, and laid his head back down, his eyes toward Pepper.

"Good Morning, sweetheart," Pepper said quietly to the boy. He popped his thumb out of his mouth, rolled onto his side, trusting Tony not to let him roll off, and made grabby hands at Pepper. She laughed again and sat up just enough to take him and settle him in her lap.

"How did you sleep, little love?" Pepper asked.

Stevie looked at her for a moment, then leaned in to lay against her chest, already mostly asleep again.

"Mama," the baby said quietly on a sigh as his eyes fluttered closed.

"Did he just…" Tony could hardly speak around the emotion that was rising in his throat. He looked at his wife just as the first tears slipped down her face. She nodded quickly and reached out a hand for Tony.

Tony wondered, as he took his wife's hand and looked at their boys, all of them safe and happy with them, if he had ever been happier in his life.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Previous Disclaimers Apply
> 
> I know this is kind of an idealized world. Adoption and recovery take a long time and both can be a very difficult process. I do not mean to take away from anyone's struggle or recovery with this. I just want these boys to be happy! :)
> 
> Also, I am not entirely happy with the last part of this chapter, but I thought it best to just post instead of agonizing over it any longer. I hope it's not too terrible.

They were able to keep the boys under wraps for about six weeks which was, truthfully, better than they had expected. It was easy for all of them to forget the rest of the world for three weeks when all they had to do was stay in the penthouse and get to know each other, get to become a family, in private. They could order in food, they had plenty of entertainment, and the boys were finally getting what they'd needed and had been denied for so long. They were getting good food, good rest, and all of the love and attention that they could possibly take. And they all blossomed beautifully because of it.

With caretakers who actively encouraged him to stretch his mind and show them what he was working on Bucky actually felt safe for the first time to show just how brilliant he was. Just as Tony had suspected, he was probably going to grow into a better engineer and mechanic than Tony himself was. With access to better materials and a better lab space, and both Tony's and Bucky's minds focused on it, the mechanics of his arm were solved in days and they'd fabricated the arm and were only waiting on Peter and Bruce to work out a safe, effective neural interface so that his arm would work almost as well as his flesh and blood one. Tony had moved on to teaching him about programming and AI and he'd never been prouder than the day that Bucky presented him a workshop bot programmed with a simple learning AI that Bucky proudly named "You" to go along with the same kind of bots Tony had created in his own youth.

That wasn't to say that Bucky was perfect. He didn't like English and History as much as Science and Maths and so, often, pretended they didn't exist and he could strop and drag his feet for hours or even days before he would do the work that Pepper had assigned him in the adjustment period they'd all taken so that the boys wouldn't be behind when they went back to school. His temper burned bright and violent and they'd discovered that the best, and really only, thing they could do when he was in one of his tempers, trying to lash out and hit or throw things, was to wrap their arms around him from behind and pin his arm to his side, holding on tight so he couldn't hurt himself or anyone else while the temper worked itself out. He was always exhausted and full of regret when they were done, but he'd stopped looking like he was expecting someone to hit him when they were done, even if he'd cry and beg them not to send him back. Pepper was the one he needed when he was scared. She'd sit on the floor, on the couch, on the bed, on the counter, wherever they were, and take Bucky in her arms, rocking him and stroking his hair and his back, promising him over and over again that nothing he ever did or said would ever make them love him less. Between Wong, and their new child and family therapist, he was making slow, but steady progress with his fears and his temper.

Clint had been so excited when they told him that there would be a range put into the building that they hadn't been able to wait for its installation. It had taken two weeks for construction to be completed and in that time, Clint had showed them just how nimble and lighting fast he was on his feet. He used the private gym reserved only for residents of The Stark Tower (the employees had their own) like a playground, running swift as a gazelle, climbing, flipping, bouncing, and generally making Tony and Pepper feel extremely old and out of shape, though neither of them were. Peter, who had his own gymnastics lessons for years before was the perfect teacher for his little brother, until Clint began to outstrip even Peter's knowledge. By the time they were thinking that they needed to hire a private teacher the range was finally done and Clint's attention had shifted. He spent hours practicing with all the bows that Tony and Pepper had bought him, and was deeply disappointed that he wasn't strong enough yet for some of them, but kept working at it with a determination that was incredible to see. He'd also begun to talk to them as he got more comfortable with them. He had a beautiful, laughing quality to his voice that never failed to bring a smile to their faces when they heard it. Peter had picked up ASL like he'd always been speaking it. It took Tony and Pepper a little longer, but Clint was endlessly patient with them and made corrections in good spirit and humor. As he got more and more comfortable they realized that he was a funny as hell. He loved to play practical jokes and make them all laugh.

Sometimes they worried that the smile on his face was to mask how deep his hurts went. When Tony had developed a better hearing aid for him and made it clear that he didn't have to wear it if he didn't want to, that there was nothing wrong with him just as he was, Clint had still looked like a child going to his own execution as he put them. The shock and delight on his face when he realized that they were made specifically for him and therefore, did not hurt the same way that the others had had nearly broken Tony's heart. He hadn't taken his others out in their presence since they'd met him. How long had he been suffering just to make them more comfortable? He did the same thing when he'd accidentally twisted his ankle playing in the gym. He put on a brave face and tried to ignore it until he'd nearly screamed when Bucky accidently nudged him at the dinner table. Then, he'd gone sheet white and started sweating. When Pepper had tried to find out what was wrong and had reached out for him, he'd twisted out of his chair so fast it crashed to the ground and run away, terrified. They'd found him curled into as small a ball as possible in the very corner of his high bed, panting with fear and pain, his eyes wide and unseeing. It had taken twenty minutes to get him to come down from the panic attack and more than once they'd been terrified that he was going to pass out because he was hyperventilating and couldn't control it. Unlike Bucky, who wanted them at his therapy sessions, Clint preferred to have his alone and often left them with tear tracks on his face, but he'd also taken to randomly hugging them and usually didn't go more than an hour or two before telling them if he was hurting in some way now so they counted it as, just like Bucky's efforts, slow and steady progress.

Stevie was the joy and heartbreak of their newly formed family. Every single one of them adored him, so much so that the little boy was rarely seen walking, more liable to be found in someone's arms, on someone's hip, or even in the backpack like carrier that Tony and Bruce sometimes traded off in the lab. He was such a happy little one, always smiling and giggling at them. The day he'd finally let his words loose seemed to unlock them all and he babbled away most of the time. They understood maybe a third of it as recognizable words, but he didn't seem to mind. Tony and Pepper were Mama and Da. Bruce and Betty were Un Bru and An Bed. Peter he seemed to have down pat, along with Bucky and Clint. They could tell he was smart and he often smiled at them in such a mischievous way it made them wonder if he babbled and mispronounced some things just to see how much they would let him get away with. He helped the boys relax with their new family by being so happy and comfortable himself and was so easy and willing to love and be loved that he helped fill his new family's hearts to the brim.

It was his health that concerned and broke all of them just a little. It was hard to see that no matter how much good food he ate he didn't seem to put on weight and when he cried every time they had to force the nebulizer over his nose and his mouth to help with his breathing even though he hated it everyone else felt like crying, too. He'd had a couple of appointments with specialists, but so far no one had been able to pinpoint exactly why his health was so poor. As far as they could tell, there was no real physical reason for it. Once specialist, Dr. Erskine, was looking into potential underlying causes for them, studying Steve's blood and even deeper than that, his chromosomal makeup and such. After they'd decided that he was the one they wanted to pursue the research with they'd funded it and his other work for three years. He called them once a week, even if it was just to say that he hadn't found anything new and he'd visited a couple more times, to look Stevie over, but also to be with them. Tony and Pepper got the impression that he was just a little lonely and he was so kind and good with all of the boys, including Peter, that they didn't mind when he was over. He was kind of like a grandfather in a way and they were grateful to have met him.

About a month into their new reality, Wong had sat them down while Peter was keeping the younger boys occupied and told them that he was very impressed and very proud of them that they'd all come so far so quickly and that he was ready to sign off on the adoption of the boys if they were ready for it as well. It hadn't even been a question for them anymore at that point. They'd told him they were ready. He'd smiled and produced the paperwork from his seemingly magical briefcase and signed it in front of them before having them sign and telling them that he'd turn it into the courts in the morning and they would be contacted by the courts with an actual date to make everything official in front of a judge. After the papers were put away he'd looked at them more seriously.

"You guys know that you can't be an island here forever, right? The boys need to be getting back to school and you all need to find a good balance between work and home life. I know you've both been doing a bit of work and you have the ability to make your own schedules somewhat, but it's not going to be good for anyone, you or the boys, if you pretend you're going to be able to keep going like this forever."

"Yeah," Tony ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, "We know."

"They just went so long with no one considering their needs," Pepper said, uncomfortably, "We just want them to know that they'll always come first if they need us."

"And that's great!" Wong assured them, "But, you guys have to consider your needs, too. I've only known you for a bit, but I know you guys love what you do. It can be just unhealthy as the neglect if you make your whole lives about them and don't take time for yourselves, as individuals and as a couple. You need to get back to work and Clint and Bucky need to get back to school. Stevie needs to have time with little ones his own age, too. I happen to know that you guys have a top-rated childcare here in the building for your employees."

"We do."

"And I'm going to suggest that you guys attend a support group for adoptive parents, too. I lead one that Dr. and Mrs. Banner attend, too. Bruce told me he's told you about it. Being parents is hard enough. Being parents to kids who have the kinds of issues that come with abuse cases is even harder. No matter how much we love them it's nice, sometimes, to know that you're not alone and have a place to talk without judgement."

"That would be great." Pepper admitted for both of them.

Once the papers had been filed with the state what had been speculation by the press had been confirmed. Tony Stark and Pepper Potts-Stark were adopting three boys. It had caused a media circus the likes of which hadn't been seen since the day years earlier when Tony and Pepper had announced that Stark Industries was pulling out of weapons manufacturing. In an effort to control the storm a little they'd given an exclusive to a national magazine and allowed a reporter and photographer into the penthouse for the first time ever. They'd had a little bit of a photo shoot and formal interview, but mostly the photographer took candid shots and the interviewer just observed their day. They'd had final veto power over the spread and had actually been very satisfied with it. There was a picture of all of them around the lunch table, Tony, Clint and Bucky laughing like hell as Pepper tried not to giggle and Stevie smiled a proud smile at the noodles he'd thrown in a surprised Peter's hair. There was another of all of them in the living room, Pepper on the couch with Stevie in her arms as she read him a book, Tony and Bucky were laid out on the floor concentrating hard on a complicated Lego build that they'd been working on for days, and Clint and Peter were side by side on another couch playing a video game. Tony's favorite picture by far, though, was one that the photographer hadn't taken. It was one J.A.R.V.I.S. had captured later that evening of all the boys curled up in the bed contentedly while Peter read out loud to everyone, Pepper and Tony bookending them, smiling at each other as if all their dreams had come true.

The article itself had been very careful to respect the boys' recovery and had mentioned that they had come from a less than ideal background, but hadn't actually delved into it. Tony and Pepper made sure that the article only used their legal names, their nicknames were their own and no one needed them but family. Tony and Pepper made it clear that there would be no other articles and if anyone pursued their boys they would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Luckily the memory of how protective and single-minded Tony and Pepper had been when Peter was younger was still fresh and they were taken seriously. Also luckily, once the exclusive came out the biggest curiosities about them and the boys were assuaged and they were all ready to get back to what would become their new normal.

And that new normal meant that it was time to send the boys back to school.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Previous Disclaimers Apply
> 
> It's been a bit since an update for this one. Sorry for the wait. Let me know what you think if you have a moment. An interlude sort of chapter from Pepper's POV.

Pepper had never thought of herself as the kind to attend a support group. It wasn't that she had anything against them, or thought less of people who attended them. On the contrary, she was an enormous supporter of therapy. She was a high-powered woman in an occupation dominated by men. And most of them didn't believe that she deserved to be there. Any little flaw, any little slip-up, was seen as weakness and a failing of her gender. She was a strong, confident woman, but even a strong confident woman needed a safe place to discuss insecurities and work through frustrations. She had a standing appointment twice a month with her therapist, though at times it had been more frequent and she was certain there would be times in the future it would be more frequent again. She and Tony had attended couple's therapy more than once in their marriage. As much as they loved each other they were very different people and their communication styles didn't always mesh as well as they'd like. Tony had been resistant to the idea at first, but when he'd seen how much it helped them as a couple he'd found a personal therapist for himself. He had quite a bit to unpack from his childhood and it had taken him a while to find someone he felt even remotely comfortable with to begin the process, but once he had the difference had been remarkable. Therapy wasn't a cure-all, of course, but it had certainly helped them out considerably over the years and so, when Wong suggested the support group, they'd agreed to give it a shot.

And it hadn't been a disappointment in the least. Wong had been right. It was nice to know that there were others who truly understood what they were going through when Bucky had woken screaming three nights in a row and was so upset he couldn't stand to have them touch him, when Clint had an episode and climbed onto something insanely tall that nearly gave them both a heart attack and would not come down until he was good and ready, when Stevie was back in the hospital because, yet again, they couldn't get his oxygen levels in a safe range. Those in the group understood and could empathize without a patronizing sympathy. Just as they could understand when Bruce and Betty spoke of how Natasha, their beautiful seven-year-old little girl adopted from Russia, rescued from a child trafficking ring, had managed to fit herself into a cupboard she shouldn't have been able to get into to hide from a voice she heard on the television that reminded her of one of her captors, how they'd had to take the cabinet apart just to get her out and even then she hadn't been able to let Bruce touch her for a week, which broke his heart. How Betty always seemed to have her trust, could hold her and giggle with her and she would seem like any other little girl, but when he tried to be affectionate with her she looked at him with a distrust that someone so young should never have in their eyes. How they'd get to the point where she wasn't looking at him like that, where she was really learning to trust him, then another episode would happen and he'd have to start all over again. But, how he was going to do it as many times as it took until that look was gone completely because as soon as he'd seen her in the orphanage, all solemn eyes and fire hair, he'd known she was meant to be their little girl and he'd fallen in love with her then and there. They were able to celebrate when normally composed Betty had come running into group late one day, her hair a mess and a grin on her face, to tell them that Bruce wasn't going to be able to join them because Natasha had been scared by a thunderstorm and had sought him out, falling asleep in his arms comfortably.

They were able to understand when Thor, only twenty-one himself, spoke of his thirteen-year-old half-brother Loki, who he had fought for custody of after their parents were killed in a car accident, only to learn that the father he'd loved and looked up to all his life had been beating and mentally and emotionally abusing the boy since he'd moved out four years before to go to school. How Loki fought Thor at every turn, accused him of being just as bad as Odin when all Thor wanted to do was care for him. How Loki pushed him and pushed him and he'd lose his temper and yell at the boy…only to see the fear in his eyes and the way he flinched away if Thor raised a hand, not even to strike him, but just because he was a physically expressive person, and feel like he was just as bad as Odin. How Thor's girlfriend, Jane, hadn't been able to handle Loki and Thor's commitment to him and had left just weeks after she'd said yes to his proposal. They were able to celebrate though, when Thor, uncharacteristically shy, told them that he was seeing someone new, one of Jane's friends, Darcy, who was everything Jane wasn't and probably the best person for both Loki and Thor because she made them laugh, got them to actually talk to each other, and made them feel like maybe things were going to be okay. She was also the only person who could touch Loki without him lashing out.

They could understand and empathize with Wong and Stephen Strange, his husband, when they spoke of the terrible nightmares that their twins had of being buried alive in the remains of their apartment building that had been destroyed in an explosion when the civil war in their country had been at its peak. Their parents had already been killed in the war and they'd been living with their only surviving relative, their grandfather, but he'd died before they were able to reach them in the rubble, so the twins had been laying with his body for almost a day before they were found. Wanda, their daughter, still had a hard time telling between what was real and what wasn't when she was stressed and their son, Pietro, could barely sit still after having been confined for all that time in the dark. How hard it was for Stephen, with his high functioning Asperger Syndrome, to connect with them at times, despite how much he really did love them. How Wong sometimes felt stretched too thin trying to take care of them all and be the glue that held them all together along with helping those cases he was assigned to.

Scott Lang was unique among them in that his daughter, Cassie, was his biologically, but she'd lived with her mother and stepfather all her life due to his record. When her stepfather, a cop, had been paralyzed in the line of duty, and her mom had been having too hard a time taking care of them both while he recovered and learned how to live all over again, Cassie had been sent to him for the first time in her life. While his ex and her new husband had never really spoken against him, they'd never really spoken for him either, so he and Cassie were virtual strangers, trying to form a relationship and make it work without really having a place to even start from. Scott's girlfriend, Hope, had tried to be understanding, but Scott had had to put their relationship on hold until he had a firmer grasp on the relationship he was trying to have with his daughter. Hope had told him that she understood, but that she couldn't wait for him, which he understood, but still wasn't what he'd hoped he'd hear. But, bit by bit, Scott and Cassie were becoming a unit and they all couldn't be happier for them.

Their support group had really become more like an extended family and Tony and Pepper had been more grateful for them over the past few months than they could say.

"How was the first day back at school?" Wong asked with a smile after they'd all calmed down from the laughter of yet another of Loki's pranks that Thor had to lecture him for, but secretly found hilarious.

"Anti-climactic," Tony admitted, sounding almost disappointed.

"How is that?" Scott asked, a curious look on his face.

"I suppose we just expected…more." Pepper said quietly, "Clint and Bucky were a little nervous to be starting at the new school and neither of them were particularly fond of the uniforms, but I think we'd prepared them pretty well for the transition, because once we dropped them off it was basically business as usual. I think they were happy to get out of the tower after so long with just us and Peter and Stevie for company."

"Well, that's only natural," Betty said quietly, "I mean, that they'd want to be around kids their own age again."

"Right," Tony huffed, dramatically, "But, did it have to be so easy for them to leave us? Where was the separation anxiety? Where was the need for reassurance? Where was the god damned trauma?"

"Sounds like there was plenty of it," Stephen said, raising an eyebrow, "Just not from the boys."

"Yuck it up," Tony mumbled when they all began to laugh, "At least my Stevie didn't desert me."

"I thought Stevie was supposed to start daycare today?" Bruce asked.

"We're truthfully not certain he's going to be able to go to daycare," Pepper sighed, "His health is still so fragile. What would be a simple cold to the other kids could be something that puts Stevie in the hospital. We just…we can't take that chance until we understand more about what's causing his health problems. So, instead Stevie spent the day in Tony's lab."

"Best person to bounce ideas off of, I swear." Tony grinned, "You know, I never thought that I'd ever have a kid at home all the time, even with Pete there was always a sitter or a program he wanted to do or something. And Pep was the one who stayed with him when he was small like Stevie is now, but it's kind of nice. We get up, have breakfast with everyone before they leave, get a little work done, have some lunch, have a nap, get a little more work done, and then head back to the apartment with enough time to order in dinner. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever been on anything like a normal schedule in my life."

"Stevie's a miracle worker, all right."

Pepper smiled at her husband and couldn't help the wave of absolute love and affection that warmed in her chest. Tony had always been a good father, she knew that Peter had nothing to complain about in that area, but with their younger boys he'd also become more of a care-giver, because they needed the care, and it was a beautiful thing to see. She'd been the one to take time off after they had Peter because it made the most sense. She was the one who gave birth to him and, at the time, Tony's work was the more intense at Stark Industries. She never had and never would regret the time she'd taken to be with Peter, and she was glad that Tony was getting to experience it now. Because there was nothing quite like having your child fall asleep trustingly on your chest, or knowing what to do for every little mood swing your child had. And with Stevie's health, it was better to have someone who knew what was normal for him at any given time with him.

She reached out to take his hand and smiled when he grinned back at her before they both turned to Scott, who was telling them the dangers of navigating Cassie's emotions as puberty was setting in, both utterly content and at peace with the world for at least that moment.


End file.
